A Swell Party

Last weekend’s ‘Saultlicious’ was a great success, thanks to a considerable effort on the part of the organizing committee led by Mary Ledlow ofVinnaissance, the participation of many volunteers, and delicious food and fine wine provided by many local eateries and Ontario wineries.

Guests were escorted by bus from venue to venue, including stops at the Water Tower Inn, the Delta Hotel, Solo Trattoria, Dish and the Heritage Discovery Centre at the Ermatinger Old Stone House.

The evening’s finale, the Grand Bazaar, took place in the newly renovated event centre, the Machine Shop at Mill Square.

And it was a splendid conclusion, with hors d’oeuvres provided by Franzisi’s (operating this summer at the Pier in Richards Landing).

At the Grand Bazaar, with decorations creating the ambiance of Constantinople (Istanbul is Constantinople…) the wineries again poured their wines, local artisans and bakeries displayed their wares, Outspoken Brewing poured its beer, and St. Joseph Island Coffee Roasters provided a great alternative when your others cravings had been fulfilled.

The Algoma Residential Community Hospice and the Algoma Conservatory of Music were the beneficiaries of the evening with over $12,000 raised. 

ARCH poured tea at the Grand Bazaar, and musicians associated with the Conservatory provided entertainment at every stop.

As I was pouring for Hidden Bench Winery out of Beamsville, I wasn’t able to get to the other venues, save for the Machine Shop, but I’ve heard that the two hotels provided especially delicious appetizers, and the wines everywhere were good.

Hidden Bench is an excellent, relatively new winery dedicated to producing premium wines through sustainable environmental practices and meticulous attention to production.

We poured their Bistro Riesling and Pinot Noir, both produced for the restaurant trade. The Pinot is lighter in character and made for instant enjoyment, while the Riesling is crisp, just off-dry and very appealing.  

Their highly touted Estate Pinot Noir, $29.95, is available at the Great Northern Road Store.

By the way, if you haven’t had the chance to visit the new Discovery Centre at the Old Stone House, you should.  

It is excellent in every respect, from the amazing whitefish sculpture hanging overhead as you enter, to the terrific interactive War of 1812 exhibit, and a fine short interpretive film in the theatre. 

There is also a gift shop operated by the Voyageur Lodge and Cooklhouse.

I was able to enjoy wines from the participating wineries the previous evening and had some interesting conversations with the winemakers.

We have only one wine, an unoaked Chardonnay from Lailey Vineyards in our local store currently, and just 3 bottles of that, for $14.95.

It carries good apple and melon fruit and has a crisp finish.

Other wines can be ordered from the winery (laileyvineyard.com), including their 2013 Cabernet Merlot, $15.20.  

An earlier vintage tasted last Friday was delicious with smooth, plummy flavours and a nice uplifting finish.

Winemaker Derek Burnett also opened two bottles of 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, one aged in Canadian oak, one in French.  What a difference a barrel can make.  The French version was more refined with lovely integrated flavours, while the Canadian version wasn’t as well-knit.  Derek explained that the Canadian Oak barrels had been made by an American company normally producing barrels for the Bourbon trade, and that they were a bit more coarse than those supplied by the French.

The winery has just been purchased by a Taiwanese company.  In fact, in Niagara-On-The-Lake alone, 9 wineries and 15 other vineyards are now Chinese-controlled.  One of the compelling factors in all this is Ice Wine and its high popularity in Asia

Philip Dowell, winemaker for both Angels Gate and Kew Vineyards, poured two exceptional whites, an Angels Gate 2011 Semillon and the Kew Vineyards Marsanne Viognier, both available at the respective wineries.  The Semillon, of which the 2012 will be the last vintage, has a lovely texture with a slick mouthfeel, while the Marsanne had tropical fruit richness and a creamy palate.  Each is $19.95 from the winery.

Angels Gate is very well represented in our stores, and the wines are noted for really expressing the character of the particular grape.  They are relatively inexpensive, generally in the $14-$15 range.  The gold-medal Suss-Reserve off-dry Riesling and the Merlot are particularly recommended.

Dowell, in conjunction with the Vineland Research Station, has begun to introduce ‘Appassimento’ into the production of his wines- the process of partially drying grapes for which the Veneto is famous is Italy.  This will certainly lift the flavour levels even more.

The winemaker told me how devastating the last two winters have been in Niagara.  Vines have been hit so hard that in some areas, wineries may not have a 2015 Vintage to speak of.

In an attempt to re-habilitate some of the vines, they have been cut down almost to the root, and any fruit this year will come across as though it were from newly planted vines – often wine is not made from grapes until the vines are at least 3 years old.

Norman Hardie, who makes stellar Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in Prince Edward County at Lake Ontario’s eastern end, said that as they bury their vines each winter, they have escaped most of that damage; however, frosts earlier this Spring have cut the expected crop by nearly 50%.

Hardie’s Unfiltered Chardonnay and Unfiltered Pinot Noir, $39, are both available in the Great Northern Road Vintages – expect big structure and extraction, all in fine balance.

Wines from Flat Rock Cellars, the final participating winery, frequently cycle through Vintages.

At present, we have the Good Kharma Chardonnay, $16.95, which shows peach, citrus and acidity – the proceeds in part support the Ontario Association of Food Banks.

June 27 Vintages

Two white French wines catch my eye: Chateau Saint Genès 2013, $15.95, a Bordeaux with a Wine Enthusiast 90 - they promise herb, apricot, almond and acidity - and Marrenon Dorio Luberon 2012, $17.95, with a Parker 90, where we should expect lime and pineapple, elegance and purity - “a smoking value”.

In reds, from the Basilicata in southern Italy, we have Tenuta Del Portale Starsa 2012, $15.95 from the Aglianico grape.  

The Wine Spectator, giving it 90, says, “Leather and spice notes are layered with pure flavors of ripe and dried black cherry and black licorice in this fresh, elegant, medium-weight red.”  

From South America, consider either Argentina’s Sur de Los Andes Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, $18.95, called “saturated, pure and deep” by the Wine Enthusiast, or Viña San Pedro 1865 Single Vineyard Syrah 2012, $19.95, which the Vintages panel calls, “Juicy, lively, and full with vanilla, coffee and spice.”